1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to e-mail messaging systems, and, particularly, to a system and methodology for controlling access to e-mail data content present in e-mail messages.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Senders of E-mail messages often want the message to be retrieved and accessed by the intended recipient and not made available to anybody else to access. For example, a sender of an e-mail message including content of an intimate or personal nature would like to prevent a receiving user from showing his/her note to other people. Standard prevention methods that include encryption only helps to prevent unauthorized access to data while it is being communicated over the communication medium, e.g., phone lines. These security methods however, cannot prevent improper use of messages at a receiving end after they are decrypted.
It would thus be highly desirable to provide a system and method that enables a sender to control access to e-mail data after sending the e-mail message to the intended recipient.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for enabling a sender to control access to e-mail and electronic information content after sending the e-mail message to an intended recipient.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is provided a system and method for controlling access to electronic information packages including e-mail messages communicated from a sending device to a device at one or more destination locations. The system and method includes determining fulfillment of one or more conditions at the destination location; and, implementing controls in response to detection of a fulfilled one or more conditions to enable access to content provided in a communicated package. The access includes enabling a user to perform certain operations (e.g., playing, displaying) on the package content at the destination location, or, preventing certain operations from being performed (e.g., copying, saving). A mechanism is included for enabling automatic destruction of the e-mail messages immediately after being read by an authorized recipient, or, after a predetermined time interval from receipt of the message. A verification system is additionally employed enabling a sender to verify and authenticate users attempting to access the e-mail at the destination location prior to authorizing use or playback of the e-mail message.